best practices for selling energy star certified homes learn more at energystar.gov 1

Best Practices for Selling ENERGY STAR Certified Homes

Learn more at energystar.gov1

Agenda

• The ENERGY STAR Value

• The Sales Process

• Best Practices

• Q&A / Discussion

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The ENERGY STAR Value

3

Some Big Changes

• More stringent core efficiency measures

• New inspection checklists

• Move from features to systems

• Additional Quality Assurance

• New marketing platform: Better is Better

4

Value in every certified home

5

Value in every certified home

• Guarantees that efficiency measures are included in every certified home

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Value in every certified home

• Sets standards for often-overlooked details that have a critical impact on efficiency, comfort, quality, & durability

• Reflects 15 years of experience from EPA, researchers, industry, and thousands of partners like you

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Value in every certified home

Unmatched value proposition for the homeowner:• Lower utility bills • Better comfort, durability, and quality• A more livable home

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The ENERGY STAR brand promise

• Cost-effective

• Meaningful improvement in efficiency

• Equal or better performance

CFL Quality

Lifetime

Reliability

Starting time

Color

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Value through building science

If you want your homes to be..

Building science says to have a..

1 2 3

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Thermal Enclosure System

1 • Features– High-quality insulation installation.– High-performance windows & doors.– Tightly sealed home.– Reduced thermal bridging in walls.

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Thermal Enclosure System

1 • Why is this important?– A well-insulated and air-sealed home,

with good windows and doors, reduces the amount of energy needed to keep the home comfortable.

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Complete HVAC system

2 • Features– A right-sized and properly installed

heating, cooling, and duct system.– A ventilation system that meets the

industry standard.– Reduced safety and air quality risks from

combustion appliances.

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Complete HVAC system

2 • Why is this important?– Improved airflow & efficiency maintain

comfort with less energy. – Proper sizing costs less and better

manages humidity levels. – Ventilation systems remove indoor air

pollutants, provide outdoor air, and filter dust and particles.

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Water Management System

3 • Features– Water-managed roof, walls, foundation,

site, and building materials.

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Water Management System

3 • Why is this important?– Prolonged moisture in walls, floors, and

ceilings can cause rot and mold, hurting durability.

– Wet walls, floors, and ceilings in air-sealed homes don’t dry as quickly; therefore, it’s more important to not let them get wet.

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Third–party Verification

• Provides peace of mind that comes with making a smart purchase

• These homes undergo significantly more systems engineering, inspections, and testing than homes built to code.

• Therefore, you can identify and correct mistakes before they become problems.

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The Sales Process

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The Sales Process

Sales

Event planning

Marketing& Advertising

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Talk about ENERGY STAR

no discussion = no benefit to you

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Steps in Working with a Prospective Homebuyer

1) Introduce your company

2) Evaluate and understand each prospect

3) Fulfill buyer needs• Feature• Advantage• Benefit• Evidence• Validation

4) Conduct financial analysis21

Introduce Your Company

Discuss with prospective buyers:

• Why you build ENERGY STAR certified homes

• How does this explain who you are

• Your company’s commitment to sustainability

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Evaluate & Understand Each Prospective Buyer

• What has prompted your visit today?

• Why are you considering buying a new home?

• Can you tell me about your current home?

• Can you tell me a little about your family?

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Mini Presentation: Fulfilling the Buyer’s Needs

ValidationValidation

Confirm benefit is important to buyer

EvidenceEvidence

Proof of system or component benefit

“What’s in it for me” based on questions

BenefitsBenefitsAdvantageAdvantage

Why System or Component is better

FeaturesFeatures

System or Component included with home

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Mini Presentation: Fulfilling the Buyer’s Needs

FeaturesFeatures

System or Component included with home

Thermal Enclosure SystemComprehensive air sealingProperly installed insulation

High-performance windowsHVAC System

Efficient Heating and Cooling EquipmentProper Design and Quality InstallationWhole-House Mechanical Ventilation

Water Management SystemWater-Managed Construction Details

Building Materials

Builder Verification

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Mini Presentation: Fulfilling the Buyer’s Needs

Thermal Enclosure SystemLess drafts

Improved comfort

Reduced fading of furnitureHVAC SystemQuieter operation

Better moisture controlImproved indoor air quality

Water Management SystemProtects roofs, walls, and foundations

Prevents mold

Inspected & tested to perform

AdvantageAdvantage

Why System or Component is better

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Mini Presentation: Fulfilling the Buyer’s Needs

• I know you really liked the idea of…• From what you told me…• Isn’t it nice to know…• What this means for you is…

“What’s in it for me” based on questions

BenefitsBenefits

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Mini Presentation: Fulfilling the Buyer’s Needs

• Credible Documentation- ENERGY STAR Logo/Sticker- HERS Rating- Checklists- EPA Fact Sheets - Testimonials- Warranties (energy bills, comfort)

EvidenceEvidence

Proof of system or component benefit

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Mini Presentation: Fulfilling the Buyer’s Needs

• Technology Displays– See the difference (e.g., Open wall showing

advanced insulation installed correctly)

– Feel the difference (e.g., Advance Window next to a standard window)

– Hear the difference (e.g., bucket with advanced insulation and noisemaker inside)

• Photos– Digital (testing, verification, technology)

– Infrared (x-ray vision for quality)

EvidenceEvidence

Proof of system or component benefit

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Mini Presentation: Fulfilling the Buyer’s Needs

• Wouldn’t you agree that…

Mini-CloseMini-Close

Confirm benefit is important to buyer

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Financial Analysis

• Proven better performance than non-certified homes– 20-30% better energy efficiency vs. typical new

homes– Even better, when compared to most re-sale homes

on the market

• Estimated to save thousands of dollars in utility bills over typical 7-8 years of ownership

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Financial Analysis

• ENERGY STAR investment of $X at X% interest for 30 years

• BUT, savings of $X per month in utility bills

• AND if fuel prices increase, savings increase

• Investing in energy efficiency– saves monthly costs– valued with the home– a growing sales incentive as “energy” continues to play

an important role in the daily cost of living32

Recap

Sales

Event Planning

Marketing& Advertising

1) Introduce your company

2) Evaluate and understand each prospect

3) Fulfill buyer needs• Feature• Advantage• Benefit• Evidence• Mini-close

4) Conduct financial analysis

33

Best Practices

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Train Your Staff

• ENERGY STAR Website– Fact sheets

• Continuous training at sales meetings

• Role-playing

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Create Simple Messages

“We’ve got a 90 AFUE furnace, a 14 SEER air conditioner, R-15 staple-less batts, R-8 duct wrap…”

• Minimize use of technical terms or jargon

• Simplify your messages and use analogies and make comparisons instead.

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Use Analogies

• “Our air sealing is like closing a hole in your wall the size of a window.”

• “Think of heating and cooling ducts as the lungs of your home...”

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Make Comparisons

• “Did you know that a typical home can cause twice the greenhouse emissions of the typical car?”

• “Homes typically contain a half-mile of cracks and gaps around windows and doors.”

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Make the most of your Happy Homeowners

• Post testimonials in your sales office

• Connect to customers on social media sites

• Provide a cash bonus or gift referral

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Hold Homebuyer Events

• Hold a Muddy boots Tour– Invite top prospects to tour a home under

construction– Explain how your homes compare and point

out “behind the wall” features– Home Energy Rater and top subcontractors

are in attendance to answer questions– Invite happy homeowners

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Cultivate Real Estate Champions

• Host a training or breakfast in your sales office

• Walk them through one of your homes under construction

• Educate on the value of ENERGY STAR

• Drop off flyers to top offices

• Maintain communication

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Use Consumer Brochures

www.energystar.gov/publications

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And Fact Sheets

• Thermal Enclosure• Water Management• Heating and Cooling• Lighting and

Appliances• Independent Testing

and Verification

www.energystar.gov/newhomefactsheets

43

Referencing ENERGY STAR

• Always write ‘ENERGY STAR’ in all caps• Always add ® in superscript the first time

ENERGY STAR is mentioned on a document

• Homes are now “certified” • Program specifications are “guidelines” not

“standards”• XYZ Builder is a “partner”; not “endorsed” by

EPA or the government44

Stay Connected

• Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/energystarhomes

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Stay Connected

• Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/energystar

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Action Plan

• Train your staff• Practice selling ENERGY STAR features

and benefits (e.g. role-play)• Hold events• Use ENERGY STAR resources available

online

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